Winter travels typically take you to warmer climes. Perhaps somewhere to enjoy the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean, the arid, dry heat of the deserts of Arizona, or at least lounging poolside at some swanky resort in South Florida. What does Team Epernay do instead? We head to the Motherland of Champagne. It is one thing to travel to far off wine destinations in the bucolic fall or warm summer, but we thought of this adventure more like when people ask us, “What’s it like to live on Nantucket in the winter?” You try to describe it, but the words never really convey the message you want to share. Visiting Reims at the end of January was magical. First of all, it was very easy to get there by taking the TGV high-speed train directly from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport in Paris. We were greeted by a light dusting of snow, very rare in this region, although it...Read More >
This weekend on Nantucket is a significant marker for many that summertime is soon expiring. The Boston Pops on Nantucket concert is the largest and most popular summer event on the island, attracting thousands of music lovers to Jetties Beach for a night of spectacular entertainment – all to raise critical funds for our local Nantucket Cottage Hospital. This year’s perfect pairing with the orchestra is RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles, which is named in reference to the song as the B-Side of the “Paper Writer” single. They give audiences the experience of seeing Beatles’ songs live and recreating iconic Beatles moments. Whether you are attending this musical revue, or have other plans for this iconic weekend, there is plenty to celebrate about life on Nantucket. Now you, too, can experience a handful of sparkling sensations to toast the last few moments of summer with a little help from your friend Advanced Sommelier Jenny Benzie. THE BRITISH...Read More >
The holiday season is here (hooray!) and that means a plethora of social gatherings, along with the obligatory gift giving. The challenge of this time of year is how to make holiday parties a little more festive (read: exciting and actually fun) and your presents unique (read: unforgettable). No need to stress about any of this as adding a bottle of sparkling wine to the equation is always an excellent idea. However, let’s kick it up a notch from there. You buy your eggs from Boat Yard Farm, you get your carrots from Moors End Farm and you pick your own tomatoes at Bartlett Farm. Why not purchase, partake and give a little “Farmer Fizz” to showcase some quality producer grown and made Champagne along with supporting your local Champagne farmer? Known more commonly as Grower Champagne, these festive bottles of bubbly originate from the Champagne region of France as the name implies. What makes them stand out from mass...Read More >
Christmas comes at the same time every year without fail. Even with this advance warning, however, par for the course for most of us elves is to wait last minute and scurry around to get a token gift for those who truly help make our life easier all year long. While the holiday season is prime time to give back to such superstars in our lives, it is important not to bust your budget by giving too much or feeling obligated to tip unnecessarily. Problem solved with this list of favorite gift worthy bottles for those special people you want to recognize as suggested by the Sommelier Team at Épernay Wine & Spirits. BONUS: Buy one bottle of each of these dozen wines listed below and get an additional +10% case discount! What this means for you -> a bigger bang for your holiday buck (and we promise not to tell anyone if you decide to keep a bottle or...Read More >